


Making My Way

by NoOneKnowsIWriteThis



Series: An Ocean Away [1]
Category: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Genre: Ficlet, Friendship, M/M, Post-Canon, Pre-Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-06
Updated: 2017-11-06
Packaged: 2019-01-30 05:27:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 390
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12647031
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NoOneKnowsIWriteThis/pseuds/NoOneKnowsIWriteThis
Summary: Since the war ended, Julian's life has fallen into a holding pattern while almost everyone else left. Kira takes notice.





	Making My Way

As soon as his shift ended, Julian rushed from the infirmary, hurrying back to his quarters. A year ago he would probably have headed to Quark's, even a few months ago he might have headed to the replimat, but the friends he would have met up with were long gone from the station. Besides, the alert on his computer had been distracting him all day. He'd received another letter from Garak, and at long last he was finally free to go read it.

The door slid shut behind him, and Julian sat on his couch. He picked up the PADD he'd left on the nearby table and finally opened Garak's letter. He leaned back and began to read, letting the words weave around him, making him feel less alone.

\--

“Another letter from Garak?” Kira asked the next day as Julian joined her for their usual lunch.

“How did you know?”

“You're smiling,” she explained. “You're always happier after you hear from him.” Julian shrugged and took a sip of his red leaf tea. Kira sighed. “Why are you still here, Julian?”

Julian tilted his head, confused. “Starfleet hasn't seen fit to reassign me.” He let out a regretful sigh. “And I doubt they will anytime soon. This posting keeps _the_ _augment_ far away from the heart of the Federation. Out here I'm not a threat, just another curiosity, like the wormhole.” He took a sip of his tea, suppressing his bitterness. 

“I was thinking of somewhere outside of Federation space,” Kira corrected lightly, a sly smile teasing at her lips. “Somewhere with a certain spy-turned-tailor.”

“Cardassia…” Julian mulled over the idea.

“They need doctors,” Kira stated. Then her expression softened. “And you need Garak.” Julian looked at her, his eyes wide, but he said nothing. “You miss him, more than Ezri or Miles or anyone else.” Hesitantly, he nodded. Kira continued. “Julian, if anyone understands how it felt to watch him leave, it's me. Odo…” She trailed off, paused, then started again. “They both were finally able to go home, so they did. ...What's keeping you here?”

“My post-” he started.

“Could be taken over by another doctor, and you have plenty of leave saved up if you're not sure about leaving Starfleet.” Kira smiled warmly at him. “Julian, you should go to him,” she urged.

Julian smiled. “Alright, alright.”

**Author's Note:**

> I'm really fond of the idea that after the war Julian and Kira become close in a sort of last of the old guard kind of way. Plus there's the parallels between Odo and Garak's departures.  
> I had this pair of scenes sitting on my drive waiting for continuation for months, but honestly I think they stand up fine on their own.


End file.
